Tag: rams playoffs

NFC playoff picture: Rams’ postseason odds, current seeding ahead of Week 11

The Rams are currently the 6th seed in the NFC but only one game separates them from No. 1.

Entering this season, much was made about the incredible depth in the NFC from top to bottom. There were obvious contenders such as the Packers, Saints, Seahawks and Buccaneers, as well as a host of other teams like the Rams, Cowboys, 49ers and Cardinals who could also finish near the top of the conference.

Obviously, things have changed since Week 1, as the Cowboys, 49ers, Falcons and Vikings have all fell below expectations, but the conference is still highly competitive – even if it’s not necessarily as deep as the AFC.

The Rams are right in the thick of things at 6-3, with a true test (and opportunity to better their playoff chances) against the Bucs up next in Week 11. It’s a pivotal game that could bump the Rams up in the conference standings.

Here’s how the playoff picture currently stands, with postseason odds based on FiveThirtyEight’s QB-adjusted Elo forecast.

  1. Packers: 7-2 (96%)
  2. Saints: 7-2 (96%)
  3. Cardinals: 6-3 (71%)
  4. Eagles: 3-5-1 (54%)
  5. Buccaneers: 7-3 (87%)
  6. Rams: 6-3 (77%)
  7. Seahawks: 6-3 (87%)

In the hunt:

Bears: 5-5 (28%)

Vikings: 4-5 (37%)

Lions: 4-5 (9%)

As it stands right now, it looks like the top seven are just about set. The Bears, Vikings and Lions are still technically in the race for a wild-card spot, but it seems highly unlikely that any of them will make a playoff push.

The Bears’ loss to Minnesota on Monday night was certainly helpful for the Rams, pushing Chicago a game further back of L.A. in the wild-card race.

Of course, the Rams want to win the division and compete for a first-round bye, which is still very possible. Only one game separates the No. 7 seed from the No. 1 spot.

If the Rams beat the Bucs on Monday night, they’ll move up to at least the No. 5 seed, and possibly the third spot if the Cardinals lose to the Seahawks on Thursday. The NFC West race will likely remain tight for the remainder of the season, with the Rams still having two games against Arizona and one more against the Seahawks.

Los Angeles Rams playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Los Angeles Rams making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Los Angeles Rams make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday, June 4 at 2 p.m. ET.

Will the Los Angeles Rams make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +165 | No: -200

Let’s rip expectations and emotions out of projecting the 2020 Los Angeles Rams. They fell well short of their preseason hype in 2019, but they weren’t that bad. A 9-7 record, but in an insanely difficult NFC West. They went 10-5-1 against the spread (meaning they surpassed bookmakers’ expectations on a weekly basis given the situation), had a plus-0.6 yards per play differential and could’ve snuck into the playoffs had they not gone 1-2 in the final three weeks. So one could argue Yes (+165) for the Rams making the postseason being great value.

The biggest question for this Rams team is how can they regain offensive dominance while parting ways with RB Todd Gurley III? Gurley’s disappointing 2019 campaign, where he went from MVP-caliber production to a mediocre 857 rushing yard and 3.8 yards per carry, directly relates to the Rams missing the playoffs for the first time in head coach Sean McVay’s three-year tenure. McVay’s coaching results thus far are impressive but the reason why I’m staying away from this action is based on my take of QB Jared Goff.

In 2019, Goff was Pro Football Focus’ 20th-graded quarterback. He ranked 22nd in QB Rating and 28th in touchdown percentage. Outside of a couple of draft picks, the Rams didn’t go out of their way to get him much help and the Rams have the 28th toughest schedule in the NFL this season (according to SharpFootballAnalysis.com).

I think the jury is still out on Goff but because I believe in McVay’s abilities. The value on No (-200) is terrible given the Rams head coach. I’ll PASS on betting if the Rams make the playoffs in 2020.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Los Angeles Rams win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +3000
5-8 Wins -120
9-12 Wins -105
13-16 Wins +4000

Successful gamblers don’t like this angle very often but let’s side with the market and bet the 5-8 Wins Band (-120). The Rams aren’t chumps but their first three games of the season are among the league’s toughest and their division is the best in the NFL. Los Angeles will win games, just not that many.

For the 0-4 Wins Band ticket to cash, a combination of bad breaks and a cluster of injuries would have to befall the Rams. The 9-12 Wins band (-105) is pretty good value but Yes (+165) to make the playoffs is better and if we thought they’d win that much we’d take the bet in the section above. A 13-plus win season is the biggest long shot for a reason: It ain’t happening.

How many games will the Los Angeles Rams win in 2020? Exact number

It’s too hard to stick the landing on this wager so I’ll PASS ON EXACT NUMBER OF WINS. Some strategy that may be profitable would be betting money on exactly 5 wins (+1400), exactly 6 wins (+650) and exactly 7 wins (+375). If any of those tickets cash you’ve profited on the Exact Wins action.

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NFL officially expands playoffs to 14 teams in 2020, which helps Rams

The Rams would’ve gotten into the playoffs under the new, approved format.

A decision that was expected has now been made official. NFL owners voted on Tuesday to approve the league’s new playoff format, which expands the field to include one additional team in each conference.

That means there will be 14 teams in the playoffs each year moving forward, with three wild cards and four division winners in the NFC and AFC. The new format was proposed in the recently ratified collective bargaining agreement, which runs for 10 years.

This is good news for teams that have struggled to win their divisions, but it’s especially beneficial for every team in the NFC West. There’s no doubt it’s been the best division in football over the last decade, and it’s only getting better.

The 49ers are the reigning NFC champions after reaching Super Bowl LIV, while the Seahawks also made the postseason. The Rams were the best team to miss the playoffs at 9-7, and Arizona showed plenty of promise under the leadership of Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray.

After Arizona added DeAndre Hopkins and retained Kenyan Drake, it’s looking like an even bigger threat in the NFC West for 2020 and beyond.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see three NFC West teams finish above .500 again next season, with the potential for all four to get to that mark. This isn’t to say all of them will make the playoffs, but there’s a decent chance three of the four could get in.

Of course, the Rams would rather not flirt with a wild-card berth and would prefer to win the division outright for the third time in four years, but they’re now granted the added benefit of an extra team being in the playoff field.

If this format were put in place last season, the Rams would’ve gotten in as the No. 7 seed, setting up a meeting with the second-seeded Packers in the wild-card round. In the new expanded playoff system, only the No. 1 seed gets a first-round bye.

6 biggest reasons the Rams missed the playoffs this season

The Rams fell well short of expectations in 2019, and these are the six biggest reasons for that.

(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

There’s still one week left in the season, but the Los Angeles Rams have nothing left to play for. They were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday night with their heartbreaking 34-31 loss to the 49ers.

It effectively brings an end to a seriously disappointing season for the Rams, as they became just the fifth team since 2009 to miss the playoffs the year after making it to the Super Bowl.

For a team that appeared poised to return to the postseason and make another run at a title, this season fell way short of expectations.

The question now is why?

There are always several reasons for a team coming up short, whether it’s coaching, execution, injuries or just sheer bad luck. All of the above apply to the 2019 Rams.

Here are the six biggest reasons they missed the playoffs this season, in no particular order.

Injuries

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams were very fortunate on the injury front in 2017 and 2018. They didn’t lose many key players to injuries in the last two years, but this season, that wasn’t the case. Here’s a list of players who were hurt and missed multiple weeks this season:

  • LG Joseph Noteboom (IR)
  • C Brian Allen (IR)
  • CB Aqib Talib
  • OLB Clay Matthews
  • S John Johnson (IR)
  • WR Brandin Cooks
  • RT Rob Havenstein
  • TE Gerald Everett

Yes, every team deals with injuries, but the Rams had eight starters miss multiple games. Todd Gurley also sat out one week, Robert Woods missed a game for a family matter, Troy Hill didn’t play in Saturday’s loss due to a broken thumb, and Austin Blythe had an ankle injury that forced him to miss one game.

The Rams had issues of their own that they could control, but injuries were a big factor this season, too. They took a toll, particularly on the offensive line and in the secondary.

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Rams eliminated from playoff contention after 34-31 loss to 49ers

The Rams are just the fifth team since 2009 to miss the playoffs after reaching the Super Bowl the year before.

As quickly as the Rams rose to the top of the NFC West the last two years, they fell just as fast in 2019. They lost to the 49ers on Saturday night as Robbie Gould drilled a 33-yard field goal, sending the Rams home with their seventh loss of the year.

With that, the Rams were eliminated from playoff contention, giving the final wild-card spot to the Vikings. It was a heartbreaking 34-31 loss, which came after the 49ers converted twice on third-and-16 on their final game-winning drive.

The Rams are just the fifth team since 2009 to miss the playoffs the year after reaching the Super Bowl. The most recent team to do so was the Panthers in 2016 after losing to the Broncos in the Super Bowl one year before.

At 8-7, the Rams are hardly a terrible team, but it was still a highly disappointing season for a team that just reached the Super Bowl. They had high hopes in 2019, attempting to win the NFC West for a third straight year.

Instead, they’ll be watching football in January from home for the first time since 2016.

NFC playoff picture: Rams need a miracle to make postseason

The outlook isn’t great for the Rams’ chances of making the playoffs.

The Rams already faced an uphill climb to the postseason entering Week 15, needing to win at least two of their final three games and get help from other teams. Unfortunately, their odds of making the playoffs plummeted after losing to the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon.

They were blown out 44-21 at AT&T Stadium, snapping a two-game winning streak. To make matters even worse, the Vikings also beat the Chargers, giving them a two-game lead over the Rams in the wild-card race.

With only two weeks remaining, that puts Los Angeles in an absolutely terrible spot in the playoff picture. Here’s how the standings currently look.

1. NFC West: Seahawks (11-3)

2. NFC North: Packers (11-3)

3. NFC South: Saints (10-3)

4. NFC East: Cowboys (7-7)

5. Wild card: 49ers (11-3)

6. Wild card: Vikings (10-4)

In the hunt

Rams (8-6)
Eagles (7-7)

In order for the Rams to make the playoffs, they must beat the 49ers in Week 16, as well as the Cardinals in the season finale. That won’t be enough by itself, though. The Vikings must also lose to the Packers next week and then the Bears in the final week of the season.

That seems highly unlikely to happen, especially after the way the Rams played on Sunday in Dallas. They looked slow, lacked precision and didn’t play the way they did one week ago against the Seahawks.

According to the New York Times playoff simulator, the Rams’ odds sit at 5%. Needless to say, it’s looking like they’ll be watching games from home in January.

How Week 14’s games impacted Rams’ playoff odds

The Rams improved their playoff chances with a win on Sunday night.

Slowly but surely, the Rams are bettering their chances of making the playoffs. Thanks to two straight wins and only a one-game deficit to the Vikings for the sixth seed, Los Angeles still has a fair chance to reach the postseason for the third straight year.

Their odds improved in Week 14 after they crushed the Seahawks 28-12 at home, too.

According to New York Times’ playoff calculator, the Rams currently have a 34% chance to make the playoffs, which is up from just two weeks ago. Before the Seahawks beat the Vikings in Week 13, the Rams had a 20% chance. It increased to 26% after Seattle won that game, and has since jumped to 34%.

That number may not inspire much confidence from fans, but the postseason is certainly within reach. If the Rams beat the Cowboys on Sunday and the Vikings lose to the Chargers, Los Angeles will have a 69% chance.

The Rams would actually move into the No. 6 seed in the NFC, holding the tiebreaker over the Vikings based on record against common opponents. If the Rams lose and the Vikings win, however, Los Angeles’ odds drop to only 7%. A win by the Rams and Vikings pushes Los Angeles’ chances to 40%, though.

When it’s all said and done, the Rams likely need to win at least two of their last three games, if not win out. Games against the Cowboys, 49ers and Cardinals make that difficult, but it’s not impossible.

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Rams’ playoff chances on life support, drop to 19% after Week 12 loss

The Rams’ playoff hopes took a major hit on Monday night.

Last season, the Los Angeles Rams clinched the NFC West on Dec. 2 with a win over the Lions. This year, it’ll take a miracle for them to sneak into the playoffs as a wild-card team. That’s especially evident after their most recent loss, an uninspiring 45-6 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.

The Rams entered the game with a 29% chance to make the playoffs, according to the New York Times’ playoff predictor. A win would’ve pushed their chances to nearly 40%, but this loss sets them back significantly on their quest to the postseason.

After falling to the Ravens, the Rams now have just a 19% chance to make the playoffs. If they win their next three games, their odds jump to 56%, but that’s also not including the results of other games across the NFL. A loss to the Cardinals next week drops the Rams’ chances to a measly 7%, all but ending their playoff hopes.

Los Angeles hasn’t looked like a playoff team lately, scoring just two offensive touchdowns in its last three games. The defense had been playing well, but it was gashed for 285 yards by the Ravens on Monday night at home.

Not only did this loss really hurt the Rams’ playoff chances statistically, but mentally and emotionally, it was a deflating defeat.

NFC playoff picture: Who should Rams be pulling for in Seahawks-49ers?

The Rams have to hope San Francisco gets a win on Monday night.

The Los Angeles Rams’ playoff hopes took another big hit on Sunday following their loss to the Steelers. However, thanks to a few other NFC foes losing, the Rams are still in the hunt for a postseason berth.

It’s just that a win over Pittsburgh would’ve helped their chances greatly, pushing them closer to the No. 6 seed. As it stands right now, the Rams are seventh in the conference, bunched in a tie with the Eagles and Panthers, and just one game ahead of their Week 11 opponent, the Bears.

Let’s take a look at the playoff picture as it stands right now.

NFC standings

1. West: 49ers (8-0)

2. North: Packers (8-2)

3. South: Saints (7-2)

4. East: Cowboys (5-4)

5. Wild card: Seahawks (7-2)

6. Wild card: Vikings (7-3)

In the hunt

Rams (5-4)
Eagles (5-4)
Panthers (5-4)
Bears (4-5)
Lions (3-5-1)
Cardinals (3-6-1)

Clearly, things are tight in the NFC. The Rams are 1.5 games out of a wild-card berth behind the Vikings, and two games back of the Seahawks. They trail the 49ers by 2.5 games in the division and have very little chance to catch San Francisco.

Monday night’s matchup between the Seahawks and 49ers only complicates things for the Rams. On one hand, they’ll pick up half a game on someone. On the other, one of the teams is sure to move another step ahead of the Rams – barring a tie, of course.

So who should the Rams (and fans) be rooting for tonight? Following Los Angeles’ loss on Sunday, that answer is much clearer: San Francisco.

If the 49ers win tonight, they’ll move to 9-0, which is four games ahead of the Rams. With only seven games remaining, that’s a margin too wide for Los Angeles to close. More importantly, it’ll drop the Seahawks back to 7-3, which is 1.5 games ahead of the Rams. That’s not an impossible gap to close, especially with the two teams having one matchup left this season.

Seattle winning would give the 49ers their first loss and drop San Francisco to three games ahead of the Rams, but it would also give the Seahawks a 2.5-game cushion for a wild-card spot. That’s a recipe for disaster for the Rams and would create an even steeper climb to the fifth or sixth seed.

There’s no doubt the Rams need a lot of help. They need the Cowboys, Eagles, Seahawks, Vikings and even the Panthers to lose quite a few games. The 49ers crumbling wouldn’t hurt, but San Francisco’s cushion is likely already too big for the Rams to overcome.

On Monday night, the Rams have to hope San Francisco comes away victorious and pushes further ahead in the division – simultaneously knocking the Seahawks back a bit.

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